Fatal Railway Accident

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 6, 29 May 1914, Page 3

Fatal Railway Accident

THREE KILLED : SIX INJURED. A railway disaster of a very serious nature took place at the Whangarraarino flag station cn Wednesday morning about 4.55 p.m. when the Main Trunk Ex- j press crashed into the Goods Train, No' 81, as it was being-side-tracked from the main line to leave the road clear for the express. After clearing its way 'through several cattle-trucks, which, fortunately, were empty, the engine with he train behind continued on its way, for some 70 yar s, even though the brakes had been applied at the moment of the impact, until eventually the engine turned ove r on its side, and fell into the swamp on the east side of the slight embankment that occurs there; The mail van which came next the tender was telescoped into the sleeping car, the former carrying all before it, and crashing, through the solid wood work as if it had been paper. In the sleeping car were eleven passengers and the attendant, and of these three died from injuries received, while four were seriously, and three slightly injured. William Donaldson, the tablet porter at the station, who, while engaged in side tracking the goods train, was sitting on the switch, when the j quickly moving express dashed into the slower train, was found lying unconscious some" distance from the points, his arm being fractured, and his face and body bruised by the fallingdebris. Four other men ho were in the sleeper, ed uninjured. Though the. i g was dark and somewhat the driver in a statement . newspapers declares that signals weie clear instead indicating danger, as they ouglJfcj| until the slow train had over the points into the Following is a list of the and injured:— KILLED. IB Mr Orton Stevens, Wellingtoißj manager in New Zealand of National Mutual Life Association of Australasia ; I < Mr Charles Peterson, Meiß bourne, representing the Jamer F. McKenzie Proprietary. Ltd.; Mr Geo. N. Grimsh who was on his his wa Auckland to assume the- pnsn of registrar of the Tokerau nati Land Court. SEVERELY INJURED Mr John Swinson, Lower Hu' 1 , Wellington, representative Chandler and Co. Mr H. G. Mac,Kay,Melbour. Inspector of the Commercia. Bank of Australasia ; Mr N. A. Fox, Wellington, managing director of the offices Appliances Co.; Mr F. S. Goldingham, Palmer ston North, merchant.; Mr William Donaldso Whangamarino, railway porter SLIGHTLY INJURED. Mr G. E. Howard, Auckland, accountant. Mr W. J. R. Hill, Auckland ! reporter, 4> N.Z. Herald. Mr F. Scott, Auckland, car attendant. Only those in the front cars ; the shock, those in the rear 1 carriages having no idea of the serious nature of the accident. REMOVAL OF WRECKAGE AT WHANGAM ARINO. ' Yesterday some twentyfour men were engaged at Whangamarino railway station in clearing away the wreckage incidental to Wednesday morn ing’s collision. All usef material in the . shape of ir wheels, etc,., is being placed trucks preparatory to bo desped to the railway worksite Newmark, while the > is being taken away and The locomotive still ren its side in the swampy the east of the railway lies just as it fell. It that nothing will Iv it until Sunday wl will be comparath thus afford the t' for lifting opr sleeping car a which were -ly damaged by t ach other have bo -tale of repair as ..hyn to be rem immediately fre of the disaster. -•—-